Bias complaint filed against CdM

Orange County Equality Coalition says state law was violated when permission slips related to Diversity Day were required.

October 11, 2013|By Hannah Fry

The Orange County Equality Coalition has filed a complaint with the state accusing Corona del Mar High School of discriminating against an organization that offers support to gays and lesbians.

The coalition alleges in a Department of Education filing that the Newport-Mesa Unified School District violated state laws by requiring parents to sign permission slips allowing their children to receive information about HIV/AIDS and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) at CdM's annual Diversity Day event.

"The district seems to be improperly requiring parental permission for all HIV/AIDS and sex education, even though the education code clearly says that parents only have the right to opt their child out of that instruction," according to the complaint from the coalition.

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The education code states that "a parent or guardian of a pupil has the right to excuse their child from all or part of comprehensive sexual health education, HIV/AIDS-prevention education and assessments related to that education."

According to the coalition, the district misinterpreted the code by requiring permission slips for students to opt in to a presentation. The complaint says the code only allows an opt-out requirement.

"The only organization that had to get special permission was an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) group," said Karyl Ketchum, a coalition member serving on the school compliance task force. "This is evidence that they are biased against the LGBT community."

The coalition created the task force in August to monitor and support Orange County schools in their efforts to comply with anti-discrimination laws, she said.

Giorgos Kazanis, public information officer with the California Department of Education, verified that the complaint was received and is being investigated.

Newport-Mesa's investigation into the incident determined that every presentation that was deemed "age appropriate for high school only" required permission slips, district spokeswoman Laura Boss wrote in an email.

"The permission slip was based upon the criteria established under the education code as cited in the written decision and was determined that the action was not discriminatory against the PFLAG panel," she wrote.

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OTHER CONTOVERSY

CdM has been plagued by a fair share of controversy surrounding the gay and lesbian community.